The stake that binds them
by Kat Angel
Summary: About my LARP Worlds Of Darkness (WOD) character- played in Galesburg, IL, set in Madison, WI
1. Home with the Toyova's

brSighing, Rupa Luminasita Toyova tossed the keys onto the small table beside her and closed the front door to her home. It had been a long day, trying to track down Jacen, even with her Tremere connections.

br"Any luck?" came a voice from the stairway infront of her. Rupa looked up to see her niece- her great- great-great-great-great niece- standing halfway up the stairs, drying her wavy black hair with a large towel. Her large brown eyes, a family trademark, were marked with concern as she flipped the towel over her shoulder. "By the looks of it, I guess not. There's mail on the table, anyway. Looks very 'vampiric'."

brRupa attempted to smile, but couldn't force herself to. Her niece followed her into the large dining room, set just off the hallway. Smirking, she picked up the old-looking envelope addressed simply to "Rupa", "Vampiric, indeed. Did Dritta pass her test today?"

brThe teenager laughed, pulling a chair from the table and sitting down. "No, but she blames it on the professor. I think she's thinking of changing majors again- from computer nerd to computer super-nerd."

brRupa chuckled slightly as she reached for the letter opener on the desk nearby, slicing the flap that held it closed and pulling out the paper that held it.

br"Again? Come on Nadja, I've only done that twice," another girl, slightly older though with the same facial structure, hair and eyes leaned in the doorway. "Mail call, eh? I take it Jacen was no-where to be found."

brRupa shrugged, opening the paper as her eyes skimmed the older-style writing, not really listening to the girls.

br"Well, if you ask me-"

br"Which I didn't."

br"-Then you'd know that he's not worth it. Come on, all he does is drag you from state to state, busy with his Tremere crap. You don't even dance at home anymore, Tsuritsa's almost claimed it as her own. On top of all that, we've only seen him three times, total at least, between all ten of us. And it wasn't talking to him, either, just seeing him. How can you claim that true love? I don't think it even exists, Aunt Rupa, you know, because he..... er.... Aunt Rupa?"

br"Watch it, Dritta, or she'll give you the when-I-was-a-girl speech, and that could literally take centuries."

br"I'm the good one, remember? Heh, Aunt Rupa once said Tsura..... Aunt Rupa?"

brOne more beat passed before Rupa pulled worthless air into her lungs, "I've been invited to a restoration of an old movie theatre Saturday night."

br"Sounds fun."

br"By Father Dorsey."

brA few seconds passed. "Isn't he one of the Tri-whatever in this city?" Nadja ran a hand through her wet hair.

br"Triumverant, and yeah, he is. Maybe you'll find Jacen there," Dritta said as she pushed herself from the doorway and sat on one of the serving chairs in the corner. "Logan said a large majority of canite society in the city will be there."

brRupa smirked, "Oh he did, did he? I suppose he was here when I was gone?"

br"Uh-huh," Nadja said, her eyes sparkling. "He promised he'd teach me to shoot an honest-to-god-real gun."

br"Gun? No, not possible, Papusza. You're not even 18 yet."

br"Come on Aunt Rupa, you said we need to be taught how to defend ourselves," Dritta said matter-of-factly. "This is just another way to make your un-life easier."

br"Mortals," she muttered as she tossed the invitation on the table and walked back into the hallway.

br"Hey!! We resemble that remark!!" Nadja cried as they both bolted from the table, flying at her in mad attack. At the last possible moment, Rupa turned and took the brunt of their force, acting as a shield for them from the hard wood floor. Giggling, the girls each rolled to each side of her.

br"Honestly, Aunt Rupa, we've been talking about Jacen," Dritta sighed, propping her head with an elbow. "We're seriously thinking of finding and staking him."

br"He can't be true love, not with being a Trem. You should totally dump him," Nadja sat up, looking at the other two. "If he was true love, wouldn't he be here now, or at least know about us?"

br"He knows of you, knows how the house is run and all," Rupa pushed herself up to stand, brushing 

imaginary dirt from her skirt. "He's just busy, that's all."

br"That's comforting," Nadja smirked.

br"What's the difference between knowing and giving a shit?" Dritta raised a brow, staring at the ceiling as if to find the answer. "I just can't seem to remember...."

br"Funny, funny, but watch your mouth, you're impressionable to the younger ones," Rupa sighed, glancing at the invitation left on the table. "I'll make a deal with you- if he doesn't show up here, I'll give up and just have fun until he returns."

br"Not good enough," Nadja shook her head, moving to sit at the bottom step of the staircase. "We don't need him, Aunt Rupa, honestly. I know you say you're not that powerful, but if memory serves correctly you said he wasn't that high up on the ole' Trem ladder anyway. We've got motion censors, cameras pointed at every inch of the property, those automatic weapons ready to go-"

br"Excuse me?!"

br"Okay, so weapons aren't set up yet, but Logan said he would. But, the point is that we don't need protection. We're safe here."

brSighing softly, Rupa looked at her nieces- who seemed to get smarter and more beautiful with every generation- and smiled. "Alright. If he so much as forgets to open a door for me, I'll talk with him, but that's all I promise."

br"Good enough for now, I suppose," Dritta sighed. "By the way, can we go with you? Just us two?"

br"Absolutely not! I told you, no mortals allowed."

br"But Logan's going," Nadja whined. "He's mortal, why is he allowed and not us?"

brRupa grinned at her nieces, "Because. He. Has. Big. Guns."

brOne glance at each other and the girls broke out into giggling. Rupa wasn't going to bother to tell them that she still thought about Jacen often, just not as a lover. Not any longer- it just worried her that he knew about the girls.

br

centerbr~*~

leftbr

br"Notice anything happening lately?"

br"Oh, you mean being set aside like troublesome baggage?" Rupa smirked at the man next to her. "Trust me, I understand completely."

brHe kicked at an imaginary rock in the empty hall of the theatre, shoving his hands into his pockets. "We used to be a part of all this, didn't we? They never did this before. Maybe it's just a one-time-thing."

br"I wish it was, Thomas, but as I see it this is all we're going to be doing for quite awhile," Rupa bit her lip for a moment. "After all, what am I to Jacen other than a secretary? The only thing he said to me was, 'Tremere affairs, I'll be back later'."

brThe place had been silent for awhile now, most of the others busy with their own business. Rupa had known Thomas Bell as the lover of Seaton, another Tremere and friend to Jacen- but, as herself, now seemingly just a tag-along for the Tremere. They had all taken off without word, at least none to Rupa, to meddle in their Tremere affairs.

brAnd nothing more, it seemed.

brAlfonzo Scapelli walked down the hall, nodding to the two before heading downstairs to the main lobby. Music from the movie drifted to Rupa's ears, her Toreador blood flashing through her veins, instantly smiling, "The Wizard of Oz, and they're about to the part of the Lullaby League!"

brRupa was a bustle of movement as she almost pranced happily to the room at the end of the hall, following the sound. Upon her first sight, she smiled- as if right on cue, the three tiny dancers barréd themselves across the spiraled ground towards Dorthy, pretty in pink with scroll in hand. She glanced at the audience to see if any others were watching the best part of the movie, and quickly spun back around through the door, blinking in slight fright.

br"Rupa?" Thomas asked in slight concern, looking through the door she just exited.

br"I... I just wasn't expecting him to be sitting there, is all."

br"Oh, Father Dorsey? Yeah."

brRupa laughed uneasily at herself, offering an almost embarrassed smile, "It just shocked me, is all. We haven't met yet, and I wouldn't want to make a bad impression on him, being who he is and all."

brThomas smirked, though turned his attention to the noise down the hall. Rupa realized while she was watching the dancers, the hall had filled. Her eyes widened as she saw Queotyl standing over... that kid- the same kid that was with Jacen earlier, a Tremere if she was correct- what was going on now??

brBefore she knew what had happened, Queotyl's arm blew across the man, a ripple of energy pushed it's way down the hall. While it didn't affect Rupa or Alfonzo, the force shoved Thomas further down the hall, Rupa rushing to make sure he was okay. By the time she looked up, they had moved down the staircase, with the Tremere, and the hall was once again almost empty.

br"Are you all right, Thomas?" Rupa asked, helping him up.

br"Yeah... I'm gonna check that out, that guy was hanging around with Seaton and Jacen earlier."

brRupa shook her head. That's just what she needed, Thomas getting hurt more and getting Seaton's anger pointed at her. "No, you wait here. I'll go; I need to go to my car anyway. I'll be back later."

brWithout another word, she headed towards the stairs, glancing at Alfonzo before heading down. At the first landing, she was pulled behind the drapes drawn down to soften the corner, eyes blazing.

br"Not a very good vampire if I can surprise ya'," Logan said smugly.

brRupa rolled her eyes at the man, "You're not a normal human. By the way, about Dritta-"

br"I'm not here for tea parties, Rupa, I'm here to warn you," he ran a hand through his short spiked hair. "Some people are trying to kill you- I don't know who exactly yet, some of Sin's friends is all I know at the moment, but why don't you go home for awhile until you're safe?"

brRupa raised a brow, "You're the last one I'd expect this from. Concerned?"

brHe smirked, "You wish. You're a friend of Jacen's. And Aunt to... to the Brothel."

br"Oh, is that what you call them?"

br"I try," he grinned at her. "Sometimes, they just can't handle me."

brInstead of making an argument of that point, she just snickered and slipped from the curtains, heading down the stairs again. She tried not to laugh- she'd drank a bit of Sin's blood, once, to prove her loyalty, but she knew he'd be dead before he'd be able to ask for a favor. It'd been guaranteed.

brOutside, she looked everywhere for a clue, but Queotyl and the rest were gone.


	2. They went WHERE?

brRupa entered the lobby, immediately regretting it- from what little she could see, Jacen and the other Tremere of his group were standing next to Father Dorsey, them and the rest of the full room gathered around Seaton and what looked like Natalie on the ground. Unable to see most of the scene, she stood en poiné, on the tips of her toes, to gain a better look.  
brFor a few moments, she got her first look- Seaton was lying on the ground, staked in torpor until Jacen swooped down to give the large splinter a sharp tug free. A few more people moved in the way, she moved through most of the crowd on the wall, concentrating on remaining a person of no notice. By the time she got another look, Seaton was standing, draped in Father Dorsey's robes with her face red and poor from crying. He was talking in low tones to her just before she cried out, "I would rather die than live as I am!"  
brMore voices rose around her, causing even her enhanced hearing unable to thin out the different tones- except when the shout came from the main door.  
br"What has happened here?!"  
brThe room was in near silence as a path was cleared from the door to the spot on the ground where Natalie lay. He paused a moment, as if to take in the whole situation before acting, before stalking over to the area. For some unknown reason, Jacen suddenly walked over to Natalie and bend low, only to have his face slashed by Queotyl's claws.   
brJacen stayed bend over Natalie as his blood trickled onto Natalie's lips. He stayed frozen for many moments, letting his blood drop into her mouth until her eyes fluttered open. Rupa once again stood en poiné, as more moved in her way, able only to catch Father Dorsey say something about the women, his torn shirt revealing a tattoo? On his back- she knew Queotyl knew something about it, too, judging by the way he was eyeing it.  
brShaking her head, she decided it best to await for the ordeal to be done with and Jacen free for her own to speak with- but she didn't have to wait much longer. By the time Rupa got to him through the crowd that had decided to break up, Queotyl was gone, and Seaton...   
brSeaton was gone.  
brShe knew it the second she glanced from the floor to Jacen. He mourned more for her than she has   
expected. She wondered if it should bother her.  
br"Come, we should pay our respects and thank our host, then we should leave," she nearly whispered, her voice hurried by her fright. She had no one she could trust in town besides him at the moment, he at least had to speak with her every once in awhile.  
brJacen watched her a moment before nodding, walking towards the other side of the room. Laurell, the lead Toreador in the city, was speaking to Father Dorsey, who was looking at her expectantly. She fidgeted slightly before speaking, her southern speech quiet, "He's.... He's gone, Father Dorsey...."  
brShadows blew around the area, the man's form expanding- and stopped just short of eleven feet tall. From inside the shadows forming the man, and the ebony mists surrounding, a deep, strained voice boomed across the room, "Diego is dead?!" Tendrils of the darkness slithered out towards Laurell, snakes that seemed to hiss and snap in her direction.  
brIssac, on the other side of the room, had enough. He narrowed his eyes on him, concentrating on his form, before shouting. "Father Dorsey!!"  
brLaurell shook her head and nervously shook a hand towards Issac, "No, no it's okay... uhm... He's just trying to scare me, Issac, it's alright."  
brBy the time Rupa glanced back at the Father, the corner of the room had gone black, at this time she buried her head into Jacen's back. She only returned her gaze to that area when Jacen's voice broke through her peace, "I am sorry Father, I was just going to ask you about your offer."  
brFather Dorsey was sitting in the classic office chair, rubbing his temples, his ripped shirt unseen. "Of course. Yourself, those there..... And the lady, as well?"  
brJacen looked at her. Rupa swallowed a gasp, moving more so behind Jacen so the Sabbat could only see one eye. She nodded, wondering what they were talking about, "Where Jacen goes, I go."  
br"What is your name?"  
br"Rupa," was all she said.  
brThe man nodded, apparently satisfied with the name. Rupa noticed he was slumped deeply in the chair, as if pulled down by some heavy weight on his shoulders. "It is already arranged. You may stay there for awhile if needed," he sighed, handing the Tremere a business card.  
brJacen bowed shortly, "I thank you."  
brThe Father only nodded again before Jacen walked away with his small Tremere band. She glanced back at Dorsey, seeing that the newest member of the Tremere hadn't left with the rest, and could be bothering the man, and decided as her last major act of kindness to Jacen would be to at least get the vampire's attention to something else, despite the slight fear she still felt when around him- she was sure the Tremere had enough problems lately, anyway. Besides, she had yet to thank her host.  
brThe neonate had just finished being told something about Natalie and why she was involved before Rupa kicked enough nerve in her system to speak, "Is there anything I can do for you, Father Dorsey?"  
brThe man looked up at her slowly, watching her for a second before giving a short nod, "Escort me outside."  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
br"May I ask you a question, Father?" Rupa said as she sat next to him on the steps leading into the theatre.  
br"Of course."  
br"You were so upset earlier... Who was Diego?"  
brThe man pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it- Rupa often smoked, too- even though it was pointless, the act itself seemed calming. "Diego was a friend of mine."  
brRupa nodded softly, accepting the answer as it was really none of her business. Silent for a moment, she glanced around to see that no one else was outside except for Frederick. Setting her gaze back at Father Dorsey, she saw him slowly take the rings from his fingers off, one-by-one, and letting them hit the ground with a soft clink.  
br"A gift from Diego," he said as he picked them all up in one hand, crushing them and throwing them far, far from sight. "Would you rather sleep in a bed, or traditional coffin?"  
brShe blinked at him for a moment, surprised that he would be worried about her comfort- as far as she was concerned, she was an imposition on him, forced upon her by the Tremere who were probably   
annoying enough to him. "Ah... A bed, preferably."  
br"Large?" he raised a brow at her, taking a long drag from the cigarette. "What I mean to say is, will you need to be with your... lover?"  
brRupa swallowed hard, forcing the words from her mouth, "Single, I'm afraid.... I don't think he could be considered my lover, honestly. I'm more of a personal assistant anymore."  
brShe thought she saw a flicker of a smile, which would be understandable, since the rest of canite society that associated with them probably assumed they were bonded. "I'm sorry to hear that."  
br"Don't be," she shrugged softly. "It's been like this for awhile. "  
brMoments of silence passed. A few cars drove by on the street, Fredrick took a few steps in some direction, and somewhere a block away a man was yelling. Why was she still bothering this man? She sighed at herself, don't try to help Jacen. Every time she did, he acted more distant, but that wasn't why she wanted to walk away. She wasn't so afraid of Father Dorsey anymore, and ... She thought it best not to think of it.  
br"Smoking will kill you, you know," Rupa said, smiling slightly at him. He paused and raised a brow at her, causing her to swear to see another trace of a smile. Has she not seen him smile before? She thought about it a moment, unable to bring forth a single memory..  
br"Diego must have meant a lot to you."  
brFather Dorsey sighed, "He was under my protection."  
br"Your childer? Ah... Forgive me, it's none of my business."  
brHe offered a shrug, "It isn't a problem........ Most sires love their childer, and vice versa, but as I'm sure you know it isn't always blissful sireship."  
br"I understand," she chuckled softly. "Believe me, I understand."  
br"Personal experience?"  
br"You could say that." When he raised a brow at her, she offered more, "My own sister, my mortal sister, Embraced to care for her daughter. I guess you could call it sibling rivalry."  
brDid he chuckle? The sound was passed before Rupa could tell if it was her mind or an actual noise to be heard. After more silence passed, Rupa glanced back over at him- Diego, dead, Seaton, dead? Was there not another one, died, or had that been a rumor? "Can there be no peace in this city?"  
br"You must have realized the powers.... the scuffling lately?"  
brShe shrugged, "I try to not involve myself in politics, but I suppose I must. I want peace here, no more fighting, or at least not as much. The Camarilla could help with it, I think."  
brHe smirked, "I want to leave the politics- you wish for me to leave the city? You, of all vampires, wish for the Camarilla?"  
brShe blinked for a moment in thought, then shook her head, "I'm not Ravanos. I wish I was, though, with the blood that flowed in my veins I should of been. No, I'm a dancer, a Toreador." She didn't mention that she wasn't chosen strictly for her dance. Rupa was a true Toreador, her main weaknesses being the dreams and ideals of her mortal self that stuck with her despite her vampiric advantages. "You wouldn't be allowed in the city at all? There was a Sabbat or two in Georgia, even in Camarilla-controlled areas."  
br"No, actually. I'm afraid in smaller cities like our own, Sabbat would be forced to steer clear from, since it's pointless for diplomacy in a place of this size."  
brHe'd have to leave the city, and not return unless the Camarilla lost control- which would be unlikely if they got it back again. Though, from what Rupa had heard, titles of Princedom had been in many hands in the days prior to the Triumverant, Sin and Oz among the few, one she was wary of and the other she wondered about his honor. "No, not if you have to leave the city. This bickering and fighting has got to stop. I don't have much that could help you," Rupa sighed, biting her lip in thought for a moment. "But what I do have is at your disposal."  
brAfter a moment of silence, Dorsey looked over at her, "Are you certain of this?"  
br"Of course," her mind calmed, ready to assist.  
brThe tall man pushed his weight from the steps, looking down at her with his dark eyes, "Are you sure?"  
brRupa tilted her head up at him, giving him a short nod, her mind fixed on him and him alone and what she could do- though the idea of her serving such a man of power seemed odd, she wasn't worthy- lost to the rest of the world, "I am."  
brHe moved down a step and stood directly in front of her, his voice softening, "You are certain?"  
br"Anything, anything at all."  
brDorsey reached down and grabbed Rupa's shoulders, picking her up into a standing position. Pulling her to his lips, he kissed her- kissed her as if not a kiss had been shared by either of them for a millennia. A feeling seemingly miles away, Rupa felt her knees almost go weak and limp- did that happen to the Embraced?!- was she being held by him or held up by him? She tilted her head against his, suddenly feeling a rush everywhere, yet feeling nothing more than his lips.  
br Picking her up in his arms, Father Dorsey took a step into the sudden enveloping shadows, and disappeared.  
brFrederick, still standing near the door, let his mouth drop open. 


	3. The Angel

brCold. Cold? When has she ever felt cold? This wasn't cold, not the cold that she'd felt since she'd been Embraced. This wasn't just the ability to tell what was cold or hot, this was a temperature that she could feel in her bones, that caused her to shiver, almost worried that she'd shake so badly that she'd bounce herself right from his arms- were his arms what chilled her, or did she feel the shadows? She actually felt cold.  
brBlinking her eyes open as she felt the cold slide away, Rupa realized where she was- a high knoll overlooking a majority of the city, around where the planetarium was. Father Dorsey sat her down next to him as she rubbed her arms to brush away the chill.  
br"I apologize," he said, glancing away in guilt. "I often forget how the first time feels for others..."  
brRupa smiled slightly, shaking her head, "No, no, it's alright. It just surprised me."  
brA few moments of silence passed. Rupa looked out at the city, it seemingly set in still silence, as if someone hit pause. The lights glittered almost as much as the sky, which held a bright moon. A flicker of thought ran through her head, thinking of Jacen, and how he never wanted to just sit, just talk. Somehow, she was here with Dorsey, unafraid of him. Unafraid of anything at the moment though still shocked at the quick swing of her view of the man. Shyly, she set her eyes to the ground after glancing over at him again, he watching her.  
br"You're very passionate, Rupa," his deep voice softened. "I haven't felt that in so long...."  
brShe clasp her hands in front of her, furrowing her brow in thought. "I think you have. You felt great grief for your friend Diego."  
br"Diego," he sighed, shifting his weight as he moved to face her a bit more. "I promised I would protect him, keep him from harm. When he died, I went back on my word."  
brHis word- he was obviously a man who would do everything in his power to not dishonor it. Earlier, Seaton was lying on the floor, had he not said.... "Passion comes in many forms, Father Dorsey." Did he just flinch?  
br"Yet I feel drained of it," he sighed, sounding deeply stressed. "I must give up the Triumverant- I've had too much of politics- I cannot take it. ..........It raises the Beast in me...."  
brRupa moved her eyes from the ground and kept her hands in her sight. Father Dorsey, no control? It seemed widely agreed that he was a man of great control and leadership. Obviously powerful, information about him cloaked in shadows, just like the ones which brought her here. She silently wondered how much of the mysterious man she would be allowed to know.  
brThough she didn't expect anything.  
brAs well as she knew that just because a man could have a certain type of control of situations and those around him, it didn't mean that he could control himself. History taught that many times.  
br"I wish for you to teach me your passion, Rupa," he looked her strait in the eye, staying as calm as they normally were. "I've not touched a woman like that in centuries. It pushed away the Beast, I could feel my humanity- my life- come back to me. I felt as if myself, alive."  
brThat look in his eye, the... was it pleading? Almost nervously, she glanced down at her hands, knowing they were slowly wringing at each other, but not caring. She would do anything he said, helping him regain humanity seemed such a small task, was there really more to it, or had she misjudged the expression on his face? "I'm not one to teach, my passion could not compare-"  
br"No, my lady," he kneeled before her, bowing his head in a bent arm. "Servitude, power, anything you'll ever want. Stay with me. Teach me."  
brRupa's eyes flared- this was frightening her. Too much feeling, she wanted it too much. One last   
protest came through her throat, her voice dropped into a hushed, emotional whisper, "How do I know you won't go back on your word?"  
brDorsey didn't say another word. A beat passed before he slowly stood to his full height, far taller than the small gypsy woman, looking at her before just holding his wrist in front of her. For once, she didn't avoid his eyes in fear, she watched him intently, as if giving just enough time for her final worries and fears to slide away from her. His eyes never looked away, never wavered, never leaving her out of their sight. Rupa closed her eyes before kneeling in front of him, gently taking his wrist into her hands and bringing it to her mouth. When she almost lazily parted her lips, her sharp canite teeth extended, feeling his blood start to flood her mouth. She glanced up at him, her eyes glazed at the taste- calm, blessed calm, purity, ecstasy, exquisitely drugged, ! She felt as if somehow the world's problems just disappeared without ever thinking about them again. He was smiling? His head, tilted to the sky, was softened with a smile.  
brIn the back of her mind, Rupa prayed to see him smile more.  
br"Please, don't stop.." he breathed. Rupa closed her eyes slowly, her thoughts racing. She could feel parts of him flowing into her, her closed eyes flashing with scenes of his past, his feelings, his thoughts. She felt him move behind her, her hair being gently brushed from her neck. Her neck exposed, she felt him open his mouth and start to drink from her- and felt parts of her start to melt into him.  
brHer entire life was exposed to him- and his to her. They flowed into each other, becoming one, feeling like there was no difference between them. Nothing could be kept from the other, even if they wanted to- Michael.... his name was Michael... A knight, a knight who thought he was doing God's work, who was Cursed... Cursed?  
brShe thought Michael was a beautiful name- Michael, Michael the angel. Michael her angel, and... Tatoya? Her sire, in the argument of true love that lasted for centuries, right in the end....  
br"Open your eyes," he whispered softly.  
brShe almost had to force herself, the ecstasy nearly too thick through her, as if running in deep water. When she finally did they fluttered in surprise- at the horizon of the city was light- a touch of the sun peeking under the night's sky. It temporarily snapped her from the blissful stupor, only able to react with widened eyes, tightened grip and sharp intake of unneeded breath before Michael's deep voice broke through her shock.  
br"Do not be frightened," was all she heard, all she needed to hear to be allowed to relax. With her complete trust set in him, she let the sun rise, unmoving. The light was far more beautiful than she had remembered- the soft orange swooping to blend into pink-tinted clouds to the north, breaking to a gentle blue to the south, something she could only hope to paint.  
brBut she wasn't a painter. She was a dancer.  
brWarmness was felt throughout her skin. The sun? The sun kept her warm. The sun was warming her skin, warming her bones, only adding to her senses. Rupa watched- and felt- as the bright yellow star moved above and behind her. The night came again- yet she was still warm. Was it not the sun, but Michael that was causing her to feel? Why did it take so long, so many years, centuries to find him? Was she not meant to feel this, not meant to feel this .....this natural? She felt alive, she felt she could breathe and bleed and die. Die for good.  
brThe sun passed over her head again. Didn't it just pass overhead? No, no it had already, four times prior, now that she thought about it. Five days, like this? Five days, could it of really passed that quickly? The ecstasy hadn't stopped, though things changed other than the sun. Somehow she realized her clothing being gently pulled away from her in all directions. She didn't have to look to know it was the shadows, the shadows that kept him hidden, the shadows that shot out at Laurell, the shadows that brought her here.  
brMichael's shadows.  
brShe looked up at him, realizing her neck was free and his wrist taken from her mouth. He stood in front of her, naked, looking at her as if in pain. She felt in pain, not touching him, not erasing the near foot of space that now stood between them. There was music, as if someone was playing a piano in the background, as she stepped towards him, beauty she felt, saw, heard, watched and knew all at once. Swirls of beauty danced around, through them as he wrapped his arms around her, bending his head down and kissing her. Somewhere she felt the need to have him, have him as a mortal woman would- and could tell he felt the same way towards her.  
brOpening her eyes again- when had she closed them?- Rupa saw that she was on the ground,   
Michael above her. His eyes met with hers, seeming to touch every part of her. Shadows? Darkness, so dark, even her added sight couldn't see anything but his eyes- yet bright, so bright, near blinding.....  
brHe moved into her, and the beauty flashed up again- there was no colors, no music, yet it was there at the same time, a hundredfold in brilliance and beauty. There and not there at all...  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
brAn old habit of the humanity she never really lost, Rupa took a sharp breath into her useless lungs just before her eyes popped open. Did she and Michael honestly make love, love as mortals? Love as mortals, as immortals, as.... In every possible way, it seemed. Yet it seemed as a dream, a happy dream that would make you wish you could fall back asleep and never awake again. Looking next to her, she saw Michael laying there, eyes closed, but she didn't think he was sleeping. Blinking away the last bit of "dream", she glanced all around her- they were inside the planetarium. The entire time she saw the sun, lost to the blood, she wasn't being warmed by the sun- it was Michael.  
brShe returned her gaze back to the man next to her, still naked, eyes still closed. Her eyes widened when a flash ran down his arm- a tattoo, set in hid forearm, glowed its strange characters like softened flames. She knew what that was, the mark of his Curse.  
brRubbing her temples, Rupa began to remember the information they'd exchanged during the long Kiss, processing the extra things that had been moved into her mind. He had killed? Killed the one Cursed, the tattoo.....  
brCaine.... Bastards?  
brShaking her mind free of thoughts, Rupa let her eyes slide closed. Now, she would sleep, feeling the light catching up to her. With her last thought, though, she knew that shouldn't of been right.  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
brAs each night when she awoke, air was sucked into her chest, eyes bouncing open before a moment of fluttering for clarity. She was alone in the- the bed? She last remembered the planetarium, with Michael, and the.. the ecstasy....  
brAs her eyes adjusted to the small bit of light in the room, she stretched, noticing the bed was large and black, the room decorated in the same color. Candebrelas sat full but unlit in each corner, a desk sat at one end of the room, the adjoining wall little more than a large window- they seemed to be far from the city, or at least far enough to have no city light to glow the dark sky.  
brAnother wall held the bed, and the last held a large armoire and the door, where Michael- Father Dorsey- was leaning in. He tilted his head slightly at her as if in thought before speaking to her, his voice gentle. "You awake later than most. I knew that before you fell into slumber."  
brShe nodded, propping upper body weight upon her elbows, "Yes. I knew you wouldn't break your word."  
br"Did you?"  
br"I did," she pushed her weight up from the bed, the sheet that was covering her naked body fell from her chest into her lap. She made no move to replace it.  
br"There are attacks happening all over town," he frowned, walking over to the bed. "Gargoyles, I should say. Many other canites are hiding outside of town together, though you are safe here."  
brRupa slid to the edge of the bed as he sat down, resting her head on his shoulder- it was all she needed to feel normal, still alive, still... here. "I am your servant, Michael. I'm afraid I'll follow you unless I either think it isn't a place for me, or you specifically ask me not to go."  
brHis dark eyes met hers, his head tilting slightly, "Please, say that again."  
br"I am your servant. I'll follow you unless inappropriate."  
br"No," he shook his head again, bowing it for a moment. "You said my name."  
brA soft smile sprung alive on her lips, "Michael."  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
brRupa took one last check in the large mirror, part of an elaborate antique *coat rack* before turning and stepping through the front door. Sitting only a few steps away in the circular private drive was a bike- a large motorcycle with the words "*" on it's side. Michael was standing next to it, holding a hand out to her, almost smiling in his leather jacket, "My noble steed, my lady."  
br"I'm not sure if I can ride on this," Rupa chuckled slightly, gently setting her hand in his. "I've never even touched one before."  
brThat bit of smile flashed again as he moved back towards the machine, easily throwing a long leg over it. He raised a brow over at her, "A dancer who can ride a horse should have no problem with it."  
brRupa chuckled again, shaking her head as she climbed behind him. Wrapping her arms around his muscular form, she tightened her legs, pulling them up and resting her head against his back. She felt his leg kick down just before the loud roar of the engine vibrated through her entire body. The reflection of the lights on the window caught her eye- just before Michael knocked out the kickstand, pulled out and vanished into the shadows, the shadows that felt as natural to her as the night.  
brIn the window, Rupa was on the back of the bike, alone, with her arms wrapped in a circle of air. 


	4. Ignoring grief is like that river in Egy...

brThere was no brightness, such a perfect vacuum of light that Rupa couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed- though she felt perfectly safe, perfectly comfortable. She felt the motorcycle start to slow down, raising her head to peek over his shoulder. The shadows drifted away, staying at the gate, Rupa nearly gasping at the sight of the old house, surprised it was left abandoned. It wouldn't have taken much to make it 'livable'.  
brComing to a stop, Dorsey knocked down the kickstand before shutting off the machine. Rupa pulled herself off the large bike, tugging her bodice down. Offering his arm, Rupa eagerly took it as they walked inside.  
brRupa realized Michael had been right- a large portion of the city had taken refuge here, many of them scratched or scraped. She swallowed hard upon seeing Drayden, Jacen's associate- his left arm hung limply at his side, a few tendons and bone fragments peeking through grey skin. A sudden pang of guilt hit her stomach- while the whole city was being attacked, Rupa was keeping Michael away from the very thing she requested in the first place.  
brShe gripped his arm as they ascended the large maple steps, watching those around her. As she was lead into what looked like a large parlor, two large tables centered around a cleared area, she swore her heart skipped- there was Jacen, who did nothing more than raise a curious brow at her. Pressing her lips together, she thankfully followed Michael back into the hall, wondering what had just taken place between them. Had he just thought it an odd picture, the large shadow man with the tiny gypsy girl?  
brThough it was none of her business, Rupa wondered who he was looking for. Though he looked the picture of calm as usual, she still worried. He was about to back from the Triumverant, release his power, pass it on to another.  
brShe didn't have to wait long when he set his eyes upon the only closed door, just a step or two further down the hallway. He pounded a fist upon the door, his deep voice booming, "Open up, Oz, it's Dorsey."  
brAfter a moment the door snapped open a bit, Oz's face coming into view. "Who's she?" he asked, nodding towards Rupa.  
br"She's with me," was all that was needed to allow her to follow inside. Natalie, a vampire Rupa remembered to be seen mostly with Queotyl, was in a chair in the center of the room, her face scratched and bruised. Rupa hid her face into his shoulder.  
br"Is there anything I can help you with, Father Dorsey?" said the Nosferatu that hobbled to him. "My name is Thomas, I am at your disposal."  
br"Who did this to you, Natalie? Just tell me..." Rupa heard Oz in the background, causing her to flinch.  
br"Please, just Dorsey," he held up a hand. "I can no longer hold the title. I am releasing my place in the Triumverant."  
br"What?!" the Brujah snapped from across the room before striding towards him. Rupa shrunk behind Michael, hoping Oz's eyes really didn't dart towards her, that it was just a figment of her imagination. "You can't, that leaves the a-"  
br"Let us go speak of this in private," Michael said to him, before turning his cool eyes towards Rupa. "Will you be alright?"  
brShe nodded, not feeling as confident as she acted. She stepped out of the way, watching as they all walked out of the room. Thomas, the last one out of the room, nodded her a good-bye. She nodded back before he shut the door behind him, just before sinking to her knees on the barely carpeted floor.  
brHad she just started something? Now wasn't the time, with the gargoyles here. Shaking her head, she stood again- now also wasn't a time to feel sorry about herself and ask questions that she'd not be able to answer yet.  
brShe marched straight through the door, surprised at the noise coming from the parlor. When she followed the voices, she saw that most of them had gathered there, including a few she hadn't met yet.  
brBut there was Drayden, grinning at her.  
br"I don't suppose you can tell your master something for me, could you?"  
br"It'll cost you," he smirked at her. "He's a very busy man."  
brRupa tilted her head down, glaring at him. "Go tell him I wish to speak with him. Now."  
brShrugging, the man turned and went off into the crowd. She assumed Jacen was there, and knew he would get ahold of her at some point in time in the night, so she walked back into the hallway.  
brIt wasn't that Drayden and her didn't get along, it was.... it was just jealousy, she supposed. Between the two of them, they competed to gain his favor, though also worked together for him. But while he would do that for all eternity, Rupa would be with Michael.  
br"Did you need something?"  
brSnapped from her thoughts, Rupa glanced up to see Jacen standing there, looking at her expectantly. Swallowing hard, she nodded, wanting to get it over with, "Yeah.... I'm... I'm with Father Dorsey, now, Jacen...."  
brHe shrugged after a moment of pondering, "How does that change our current situation?"  
brIt hit her like a slap in the face. Rupa froze in shock for a moment, amazed at his words. Her thoughts raced, surprising herself she could find words as she took a few steps down the hall, Jacen following her, "N-no, Jacen... I mean I'm with him... "  
br"Jacen," Queotyl called at the other end of the hall, Rupa suppressing the urge to jump. His shoulders were held high, as if ready to pounce someone, his eyes wild as he moved towards the Tremere. brRupa slid behind him and started to take a step back before she felt her arm grabbed, once again holding back a surprised hop. Michael's voice soothed into her mind, "Are you alright, my dear?"  
br"I'm fine," she nodded towards him, her mouth feeling dry. Jacen hadn't even cared? It didn't matter anymore anyway, but still a small twinge of pain crept through her. She'd been his servant for countless years, pulling dirty work for him, telling him every bit of information she'd gotten, giving him the upper edge to sail in the ranks.  
brShe'd even followed him to this damned city.  
brThough betrayal rang through her mind, she pushed it away as she was lead back into the parlor by Michael. Just his touch, his voice, were enough to bring her back on the problem at hand. He sat her in a chair, and moved through the crowd, leaving Rupa to her thoughts again.  
br"You're oddly dressed," a man said, Rupa looking up to see him standing to her side. His arms folded across his chest, raising a brow at her. "For a city such as this, I mean."  
brShe looked down at herself- Toyova scarves hung from her belt, which held a chain mail skirt, her underskirt a flaring red with a tear-drop pearl pattern. Her green bodice, white shirt and blue kerchief with beaded headdress seemed perfectly normal to her. She shrugged, "You look oddly dressed yourself. What makes this so odd?"  
br"I didn't mean to offend you. Very Ravanos, is all." His tone was offensive, not the words.  
br"No," she shook her head, shifting her weight as she watched Michael head back towards her. "Toreador."  
brHe raised a brow at her as if she was lying, but said nothing as she took Michael's outstretched hand. Quickly she latched onto him, hoping to get a chance to talk to him before he left.  
br"Oz," Dorsey said quietly, causing the Brujah to glance up despite the noise of the room, glancing at Rupa. At least he didn't stare at her like the others. "She must stay safe. If she dies, my humanity dies as well."  
brOz nodded solemnly and held out his hand, Rupa only taking it when Michael led her to it. "Don't leave his line of sight," was all he said before walking off again. Oz lead her to one of the two long tables, sitting between her, and the man who was playing with the chess pieces- it only took a second to realize they were talking about a first wave of attack.  
brGlancing at the door, she saw Michael heading out the door, a wave of urgency washing over her. She wanted to call out to him, scream his name and run over to him, force him to swear that he'd come back to her safe, that he'd....  
brThat he'd love her.  
brThough Rupa was pained to be reminded of the fact that not one word of love had been spoken, only passion. She was sure he'd felt the same, wasn't she? It didn't matter anyway, she loved him and would follow him to the end of the Earth, if allowed, anything he would ever request of her would be granted.  
br"....Rupa?"  
brShe shook her head for a moment, clearing her thoughts to see that Oz, as well as the rest of the table, was looking expectantly at her.  
br"I asked if you can fight."  
br"No, not a gargoyle," she shook her head quickly, glancing around the table.  
br"Well.... Can you hide yourself?" asked the man playing with the chess pieces.  
br"No."  
br"Can you control other people?"  
br"No."  
br"Can you create illusions?"  
br"Ah.... I can see and hear well," she nodded, dodging the question none-too-smoothly. She didn't want any of them knowing what powers she had, no matter what the reason. This wasn't total war, not yet, and would only put her un-life on the line for her nieces or Dorsey.  
br"Better that way, anyway," Oz said, giving a short nod towards her. "She stays in the back line, she needs to be guarded."  
brRupa glanced back at the door, a twinge of worry hitting her. She'd never really worried about a man before, not like this- at least not without personal interests, and never this deeply. She had no reason to worry, he was Father Dorsey- once was, she supposed- and as far as she knew seemed to lay law to everyone else in the city, mostly out of respect. He was a strong man of great power, but Rupa's heart sank whenever he was out of sight.  
brAgain she was torn from her thoughts as she saw the room starting to file outside. She followed, staying as close to Oz as possible. The crowd moved outside and down the road..... and suddenly, started moving into the formation that was planned, all in a quick blur of movement. Vaguely she heard Oz tell another not to leave her side, to stay in the back, and next a man- - was standing next to her.  
brThey were all cloaked, slowly walking forward. Ahead Rupa could see nothing but a big blur, a fog-like mist that settled before them. She couldn't hear what was being said, only something along the lines that they should leave, it wasn't their city any longer.  
brThe other man she was forced to stay with pushed her back, standing protectively before her. She wondered what could cause such unbidden loyalty to Oz- she hadn't known the Cainite very well, but knew she could trust him as Michael could. There was a large portal- Michael- what?......  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
br"Is that okay?"  
brRupa shook her head in confusion, her eyes wild at mortal in front of her. "What?"  
br"He's my friend, it's okay," Logan tilted his head at her, his hand reaching towards her arm before gently stroking the wrapped wound. "I asked if he could go over to your house for some blood, he's wounded badly. Are you sure you're okay?"  
brShe nodded slowly, glancing down at her arm. For some reason she had no clue what had happened, only that there was a short gash behind her left arm, a blood-soaked bandage of yellowed cloth wrapped tightly around it. She was cloaked, there was... there was.... "Dorsey?"  
brLogan narrowed his eyes at her in worry, shaking his head slowly, "Rupa, he went into the portal, with Queotyl. The portal closed..... No one knows how to open it."  
brFinally noticing what reality she was in, she took a quick glance over her mortal ally. Outside, she was sitting on the edge of the van, the large door opened. On the floor inside was another vampire, who occasionally moaned. Logan hadn't a scratch on him, but Rupa wondered how long it'd been since she'd been back from Oz's house. He'd even dropped her off at her home for blood, and offered to go in with her, but she didn't feel the urge to tell him it was nearly impossible for even a gargoyle to enter the yard unwanted. Anyone or anything that wasn't okayed ahead of time would more than likely be burned to a crisp, since inside were controls to shoot high-powered streams of fire across all points of the yard. It was completely self-contained, and if an intruder didn't stop when the warning went off, or then didn't answer the questions through the speakers properly, they'd be toast. Logan had finished up the work while Rupa was with Dorsey, she could tell as she walked up her sidewalk to her front door and the cameras and motion sensors had been moved- and were all new. She also didn't bother telling Oz that her nieces lived here, actually lived here. Not that she didn't trust him.  
brGrief struck her heart as a sudden welt of information rose in her mind- such pain- it took nearly all of her humanity to focus upon her nieces and not unleash her beastial side upon Logan, remembrances of Michael being pushed away. "Yeah... go ahead and take him.... make sure the girls are okay, and be sure to check on Dritta, she had classes earlier..."  
br"Okay," he nodded, holding out a hand to help her. "You better get inside, Oz has been looking for you. Besides that, the Tories and Malkavs are hiding in one of the rooms downstairs."  
br"Yeah, I figured he'd be worried," Rupa took his hand, pulling herself up with her good arm. "Thanks, Logan, I owe you."  
brThe man grinned at her, offering a shrug, "Actually, that's... five you owe me, now, but hey, who's counting?"  
br"Cute, cute," she barely faked a chuckled as she moved towards the house for the second time of the night. A few vampires were sitting outside, and as she moved back inside, she saw that more seemed to be inside, lining the halls with their wounds. Though none of them were Oz, he must of been upstairs. How many had died, she wondered?  
brHer numbness slid into easy denial. She knew there had to be a way to get Dorsey back. The only one besides Oz that she could ask, though, probably wouldn't wish to talk to her. Knocking on one door, it was opened- and her heart would of leapt into her throat, if she were still mortal.  
br"May I help you?" Thomas Bell asked.  
br"I heard there were Toreador and Malkavians in here... I just came to see if I was needed."  
brHe glanced inside the room for a moment before lining his eyes back at her, "That depends- would it bother you if Oz took control of the city?"  
br"I wouldn't mind who took control."  
br"Okay, goodbye then," the door was slammed in her face.  
brGrinning, she headed up the stairs, having the hammer she needed to drive the nail at Jacen. Michael wasn't gone permanently, she just had to find the right person or write or whatever it took to get him back- and she knew who could help her. She just had to get back on his good side. It was luck he happened to be standing in the front doorway, causing her to spin around to face him at the call of her name.  
br"Jacen..... I'm surprised my name can be said on those lips."  
br"I admit I was slightly worried when I heard of your.... injury," his hand waved towards her arm before shoving it back into his pocket. "Though I see that you are nearly in perfect health."  
br"Yeah, Logan to the rescue," she muttered, moving down the stairs towards him. "I'm glad you're still alright. People seem to be rising from the dead more than once around here, it seems."  
br"Meaning?"  
br"Thomas," she frowned as she followed him outside. The van was gone. "He's in a room with a bunch of other Toreador and Malkavians, and when I went to see what was going on, he asked if I would mind of Oz ran the city. I told him no... and he slammed the door on me."  
br"Is this habitual?" he raised a brow at her, the moonlight splashing around them. "Or are you telling me this for a reason?"  
brShe looked down at the wooden steps beneath her, moving into the helpless look she wore so well. "I'm sorry, Jacen- I took our business deals too far, and I should of known better."  
br"Are you asking me to take you back?" he crossed his arms across his chest.  
brShe merely sighed, "Please, Jacen.... I'd hate to be alone, you know how I am...."  
br"Business as usual, then, I suppose," a few moments of silence passed. The wind blew through the nearly bare trees overhead, somewhere inside a cough was heard. He moved to walk back inside, but stopped when he was parallel with her- facing towards the house, opposite of her. "I'm sorry I can't be the man you want me to be, Rupa."  
brHe walked inside, and when she was sure he was out of earshot, she sighed, whispering to herself, "I was too, once..... But not anymore."  
brHe was going to help her, somehow.  
br  
centerbr~*~  
brleft  
brShe pushed open the door to the parlor, seeing a few of the more honored members among them inside. Fredrick leaned against a wall towards the south, Jacen seated by him. Thomas Bell glanced over at her, Rupa wondering for a moment if he glared at her. She sat in the corner, listening carefully to the conversation going around the room- they were voting for new members of the Triumverant.  
brOz looked over at her, his eyes and face unmoving, locked onto her for a painful moment. Did he really think that Dorsey can't make it back? She'd prove him wrong, of course, but then again, she might even have her help her. Rupa walked over and sat next to Jacen as the room chattered and bickered on.  
brAs she thought about it, those were looks she got from everyone seemed to be so saddening- on the other side of the token, though, every look she got from them radiated cheerless and heartbreaking loss of lives and homes lost. She felt so numb- had Jacen not once teased her humanity? It was so hard to remember. Michael had said......  
brWhat did he say? Rupa held her thoughts chained to her nieces again, wondering how mad she was becoming. Almost funny, she started to surprise herself of fact she hadn't slipped into Romanian again; muttering curses and hexes of the old tongue as she normally did when in odd moods.  
br"Rupa."  
The simple whispered name caused her to look up and follow Jacen's nod, once again giving her attention to the topic of conversation. No representation for the Sabbat? Rupa stood up, getting a glance from Oz.  
br"There are still Sabbat in this city," she said simply, causing the attention of a few of the debaters to raise a brow at her. It shouldn't be a surprise, she screamed in her mind, they all saw I was with the one who ruled the Sabbat.  
br"You're sure of this?" Oz looked at her. Surely, he knew she'd changed her mind.  
br"I am," she nodded, now standing beside the Brujah. Her fist was slightly balled. This was all she needed.  
br  
To Be Continued...... 


End file.
